Realm Runners

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Gnoll Slaughter: Tome

11

FEB/12

Aces listens through the double doors and hears the yelping of hyenas and gnolls. Before they charge in, a large quake rocks the Well of Demons, it causes the walls to crack and floors to roll. Dust and debris begins to fall from the ceiling. Megilwath and The Maven are knocked over on the unsteady floor. The quake goes on for 15 seconds and then dissipates. The party regains their senses and Aces charges into the room, noticing a group of four gnoll huntsmasters to her right, she heads in their direction, and jumps over a makeshift barricade of broken furniture and crates.

Four hyenas rush out from around a large cage that a dire boar is being held in for target practice. They rush up on Megilwath and The Maven, with Krushi and Mentathenis hanging back in the hallway and launching their attacks from there. Aces endures some injuries, but the party emerges victorious.

Mentathenis senses the presence of magic hidden somewhere within the barricade. He also feels a sharp pain, from an unknown source that feels as though it pierces his very soul. Megilwath attempts to locate the magical item and discovers a Charm Bracelet in a broken cupboard.

The Maven plays a lullaby to sooth the dire boar. After a short while, she manages to calm the beast enough to pet it’s snout, and the party drags the corpses of the gnolls and hyenas into the cage for it to eat.

The party continues to the north to encounter another gnoll huntsman, two gnoll marauders and four more hyenas in a mess hall, kennel and barracks area. Using a bottleneck strategy they make quick work of the cackling creatures. One of the hyenas surrenders and Aces ties a rope around it to give to Modreg as a gift and the little goblin is very happy. Buried under the hay of the kennel, Mentathenis discovers a Cloak of Resistance +2.

Once they have searched the barracks area, they head south to find a Shrine to Baphomet. When they rush in, they get into a battle with a gnoll scourge, a barlurga, and two tiefling darkblades. Krushi uses her Fan of the Four Winds to keep the barlurga at bay and Megilwath and the Maven help out. Aces and Mentathenis go for the scourge. When the fight concludes, the creatures are all dead and the companions locate a locked chest which Krushi explodes with lightning to find a pair of Shadowfell Gloves. Mentathenis finds the Book of Wrath Unveiled upon the alter to Baphomet. The Maven notices blood rushing towards them from behind. The hyena that Aces gave to Modreg as a gift ate the poor goblin. Terrlen, having transformed into a werewolf, killed the hyena in retaliation.

Aces is furious that her little buddy died and starts destroying the shrine. When she is finally calmed down by her friends, they continue back the way they came and take the corridor to the south.